


cold nose, warm heart

by alderations



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mild Blood, Okami Hanzo Shimada, Reunions, Werewolf Jesse McCree, also jesse being melodramatic, fluffy happy wolves cuddling thats it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 18:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13106433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alderations/pseuds/alderations
Summary: Hanamura in the winter is a lot to bear for a desert wolf, but he doesn't feel the cold with Hanzo around.





	cold nose, warm heart

It’s too cold to be human, and wolves aren’t particularly good at counting, so Jesse doesn’t know how many days it’s been since he was curled up at Hanzo’s side, warm and beloved and sneezing white fluff out of his nose. It feels like an unbearable eternity, but Jesse figures that’s normal, since he feels that way when the  _ okami _ is gone for more than thirty seconds, anyway. After he finished eating all the stowaway rats (and most of the rations), the cave got boring, so even though the icy mountain wind feels like it’s stabbing him right through his fur, Jesse is pacing between the rocks outside of their lair, shivering furiously, and whining at nothing as if it’ll be enough to summon Hanzo from the wilderness.

 

He hasn’t seen another living being since he practically inhaled the last rat.

 

Desert nights were frigid. Jesse won’t deny that. But his southwestern-born-and-bred coat isn’t nearly enough to keep him comfortable on the peaks just north of Hanamura, where he spends the days being battered by snowy gales and the nights curled up against the chilly stone of the cave, ignoring the aches deep in his bones, wishing his mate never had to leave. Of course, if circumstances were ideal, they wouldn’t have to live on top of a mountain; between their collective bounty and the worldwide distrust of anything Overwatch-related, they’re best off hiding here for the time being. Even if Jesse’s tail freezes off before too long.

 

His paw pads are cracked and starting to bleed, running in streaks of muddy-red down the slick rock under him. Hanzo would grumble at that, telling him to take better care of himself, but then again, Hanzo would also lick them better and curl his whole body around Jesse like a whining pup. The white wolf isn’t that much bigger than him, more dense than anything else, but the extra  _ okami _ magic and the golden markings streaking his face and forelimbs stand out drastically against Jesse’s mottled, red-brown fur. Jesse leans down to sniff at the ground, as if a faceful of snow will somehow bring Hanzo back to him, and whines once again. His remaining front leg is taking the brunt of the pain, between carrying half his weight and the chill leaching into his joints. And he’s hungry, since Hanzo promised to return with food for another month, so that they wouldn’t have to hunt in the horrific weather.

 

Something green flashes in the distance. Jesse jumps—green shouldn’t be here, not in this dizzying landscape of grey and white, and most of the possible explanations involve supernatural activity that would bode badly for him. Then again, Hanzo was supposed to meet Genji in the village. Maybe Genji came up the mountain with him? It’s awfully cold for cyborgs, Jesse figures, too tired and fuzzy to really pick apart the logic of weird colors in the snow.

 

He doesn’t notice the white wolf until it’s on top of him. Literally, grabbing him by the scruff and shoving him toward the cave, while Jesse yelps and whimpers and struggles to get away, until the cold wind clears from his nose and he smells forest musk, wet dog, a tiny bit of cherry.  _ Hanzo!  _ He goes limp at once, tail wagging furiously, and Hanzo lets go of him only to keep nudging him toward warmth and safety. In retrospect, he has no idea how Hanzo managed to sneak up on him, but it’s beside the point now: his wait is over.

 

_ You look like a frozen pup!  _ Hanzo grouches in his mind.  _ How long have you been outside? And why?! _

 

Jesse turns around as soon as they step into the cave to lick at Hanzo’s muzzle, desperate for affection, and the  _ okami’s _ yellow eyes go soft at once.  _ You were gone for so long, darlin’, I was losin’ my mind all on my lonesome in here, please…  _ As Hanzo sniffs out the remaining rations and glances them over, Jesse continues to follow, nose pressed into Hanzo’s warm flank.  _ Did ya bring food? Never mind. I don’t care. Can we cuddle? I missed you. _

 

Finally, the white wolf turns and meets his gaze for a fleeting moment, then bowls Jesse over with one nudge from his massive head.  _ I cannot begin to tell you how much I have missed you, beloved. And it’s only been a week. _

 

Just as Jesse had hoped, Hanzo flops onto the ground and stretches out beside him, then curls as close as he can get to Jesse’s side and rests his head across his mate’s neck.  _ You’re so warm! Han, my fur ain’t made for this weather, I thought my paws would freeze off without you here to lay on ‘em.  _ Hanzo snorts and drapes his thick tail across Jesse’s toes. He wants to ask about the food again, concerned with the prospect of hunting, but he can’t think of anything outside of the warm body pressed against his side and the weight of Hanzo’s scent hanging in the air. His mate is home. Everything feels right. Jesse rolls onto his back, paws in the air, and whines petulantly as Hanzo starts to groom the fur around his neck.

 

_ Genji is bringing our food. He will visit in an hour or so. For now, we have time to rest. _

 

That’s all Jesse has wanted to hear for the past week. Well, that and a lot of other, more endearing things, imagined in his mate’s rough, affectionate voice, but those can wait. Hanzo’s breath steams hot against his cheeks, his ears; the  _ okami _ drapes one paw across his chest to pin Jesse as close to him as they can be, while snow piles up outside the cave and slowly lends them another layer of protection from the outside world. It’s too dark for human eyes, but Hanzo’s amber gaze glows, sending warmth straight to Jesse’s heard and radiating all the way down through his paws.

 

_ Stay here?  _ He knows Hanzo has no reason to run off any time soon, but Jesse needs reassurance, especially when his mind is only working in the here and now.

 

_ I would stay forever,  _ Hanzo reassures.

**Author's Note:**

> [Nev](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NevaRYadL/pseuds/NevaRYadL) is an enabler and keeps encouraging me to live my furry dreams. (It doesn't take much encouragement, I love writing anything about animals.)
> 
> I swear (i PROMISE) I'm working on LMCotT, good stuff is happening, It's Coming, I just...needed some fluff. Literally.


End file.
